Femtosecond laser irradiation of silicon in the presence of a chalcogen (such as sulfur) under specific conditions has been shown to enable photoactive devices with desirable characteristics. These characteristics include higher sensitivity, extended wavelength response, and higher quantum efficiency at certain wavelengths than untreated silicon. In known systems, the sulfur (or other present ambient chemicals) is embedded into the silicon during femtosecond laser irradiation. The laser sets up a unique atomic and crystallographic arrangement in the silicon substrate. A subsequent thermal anneal activates dopant species, heals lattice damage, and results in the desired photoactive characteristics above.
Requiring a laser to perform both dopant introduction and the subsequent unique arrangement of atoms, however, may not be as efficient or as controllable as needed. What is needed is a process that introduces a desired chemical species to a specific dosage level across a substrate in a controllable and scalable manner, irradiates the substrate and chemical species to a desired atomic and crystalline arrangement, and activates the electronic species contributed by the implanted atoms to produce a semiconductor device having improved characteristics and performance.